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Bridge to Independence program assists former abused, neglected children

Reanna Turvey knows where she’s going and how to get there, thanks to a little help and the baby growing inside her.

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Updated: 6:21 PM CST Dec 22, 2014

Bridge to Independence program assists former abused, neglected children

Reanna Turvey knows where she’s going and how to get there, thanks to a little help and the baby growing inside her.

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Updated: 6:21 PM CST Dec 22, 2014

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WEBVTT ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN HAVE A NEW RESOURCE FOR HELP. GOOD EVENING, I'M ROB MCCARTNEY. AND I'M BRANDI PETERSEN. THE KIDS GET HELP FROM THE STATE.. BUT ONLY UNTIL THEY TURN 19-YEARS OLD. A NEW PROGRAM IS HELPING TEENS MAKE THAT TRANSITION TO INDEPENDENCE. KETV NE WATCH SEVEN'S ANDREW OZAKI HAS THE BIG STORY AT SIX. GOING AND HOW TO GET THERE... THANKS TO A LITTLE HELP.... AND THE BABY GROWING INSIDE HER.( ReAnna Turvey: After what I've been through and what I've seen because of the system I don't want her go through this. Like I want her to have a better life. ) FOR SHE WAS 10 YEAR'S AS WARD OF THE STATE( ReAnna Turvey: Having to go from home to home to group home.To home. ) THEN AT 19 SHE WAS LITERALLY PLACED ON HER OWN.( ReAnna Turvey: I had no place to go so I stayed with friend and family. ) MOVING AROUND LIVING PAY CHECK TO PAYCHECK... TAKING A JOB AS AN EXOTIC DANCER.( ReAnna Turvey: I found the job kind of down grading because you had to show your body. For a dollar. It was depressing. ) SO BEING PREGNANT AND AT 20 REANNA HAD A WAKE UP CALL.( Natalie Conant: She just had very lost look on her face she didn't know what else to do or where else to go.) ( ReAnna Turvey: I think that was a huge thing for her because she was never really asked what she wanted. ) SO FAR 93 FORMER WARDS INCLUDING REANNA HAVE SIGNED ON TO THE PROGRAM. OTHER PRIVATE AGENCIES HAVE ALSO STEPPED UP. HELPING TO EXTEND SERVICES THROUGH AGE 24. THE GOAL TO GIVE THESE YOUNG ADULTS STABILITY WHILE THEY LEARN HOW TO SUCCEED ON THEIR OWN.( Jennifer Skala: we're talking about prevention in the finest sense that if we invest in these fine adults we are not only going to see good out comes for the young adult but also for their children.) REANNA WENT BACK TO COLLEGE... GOT HER CERTIFIED NURSE ASSISTANT DEGREE. ONE OF THE FIRST PERSONS SHE TEXTED WAS CONANT.( Conant: Big bold letter she says we did it. )( ReAnna Turvey: With this program they actually were able to get my courage up and my self-esteem ) IN LINCOLN ANDREW OZAKI KETV NEWSWATCHS SEVEN. LAWMAKERS BUDGETED TWO- POINT TWO-MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE PROGRAM THIS YEAR AND AND OTHER FOUR-MILLION NEXT YEAR. BY THE WAY..REANNA'S DAUGHTER IS EXPECTED JANUARY

Bridge to Independence program assists former abused, neglected children

Reanna Turvey knows where she’s going and how to get there, thanks to a little help and the baby growing inside her.